THE Cook Islands will be represented by its Miss Cook Islands Aotearoa at the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant 2025 in Honiara next month.
This was announced by the Director of Miss Solomon Islands Pageant and owner of Solomon Host, Joyce Konofilia. Solomon Host holds the organising right for the Miss Solomon Islands Pageant and holds the hosting right for the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant on behalf of the Government and people of Solomon Islands.
Ms Konofolia told a livestreamed press conference in Honiara on Friday that Cook Islands just confirmed its participation in the MPIP 2025 last Thursday and that it will be represented by its Miss Cook Islands Aoterearoa as it did not hold a pageant for the Miss Pacific Islands last year.
Cook Islands confirmation raises the number of participants in this year’s Miss Pacific Islands pageant from seven to eight.
The other seven participating countries are American Samoa, Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.
Meanwhile, the Cook Islands News reported that Miss Cook Islands Pageant Association (MCIPA) has already begun their preparation for the MPIP 2025 by endorsing 22-year-old Ngatepaeru Marie Maoate, reigning Maine Kūki ʻAirani Aotearoa 2024, to represent the country.
Miss Cook Islands Association (MCIA) Secretary Rohan Ellis was reported by the Cook Islands News saying that the association does not currently have a formal working relationship with the Miss Pacific Islands organisation.
He, however, his best wishes to Miss Cook Islands contestant Ngatepaeru Maoate for the upcoming pageant.
Meanwhile, this is the second time that Solomon Islands will host the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant. The first was in 2013 when Miss Cook Islands, Teuira Napa snatched the regional crown
The Miss Pacific Islands Pageant will run from Sunday 1 February to Saturday 8 February.
By IAN LADDS OSO
Solomon Star, Honiara
